2019 was a huge year for Great Peninsula Conservancy. Two capital campaigns, multiple partners and grantors, massive community support, and a dedicated conservation team protected five projects covering 238 acres! Hahobas Shoreline Preserve The Hahobas Shoreline Preserve project was a fast and furious, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to partner with the Trust for Public Land, DNR, Boy…
Fall Event Photos!
Orca Recovery Day On October 19 at sites across the Puget Sound area, communities came together for a volunteer day to work on projects that support our endangered resident orcas. At the Lay Wildrose Estuary in Gig Harbor, Great Peninsula Conservancy volunteers planted native nootka rose and salmonberry on the estuary shoreline. A very rainy…
Public Comment Period Open: Great Peninsula Conservancy Applies for Renewal of Accreditation
The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Great Peninsula Conservancy is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation. A public comment period is now open. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land…
Words from the Woods: straight from the source
Here it is. The last report from GPC’s 2019 NextGen Outdoor Camp. Be sure to tune in next year for more Words from the Woods! It was a whirlwind summer for NextGen Outdoor Campers. We rode bikes, horses, and waves. We picked plums, pulled ivy, and plotted the slope of Lions Park Beach. We learned…
Howe Farm Park Stewardship: Success in Four Parts!
Photos taken by Claire Voris The boardwalks leading to Salmonberry Creek at Howe Farm Park had met their match. The contender? A family of beavers and their dam. Beavers are quite prolific in this section of Salmonberry Creek. Their dam spans the width of the creek and has forced the waters and mud to rise…
August Walks & Talks: Photo Recap
In total, over 50 naturalist enthusiasts journeyed out (rain and shine) for a chance to discuss the flora, fauna, and history at one of three community greenspaces we toured this August: Ueland Tree Farm, Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park, and Banner Forest Heritage Park. GPC Executive Director Nate Daniel and Conservation Project Manager Brenna Thompson…
Words from the Woods: from ponies to tide-pools
A few impactful words from NextGen Outdoor Camp’s Outdoor Education Specialist Skyler Schmidt. Skyler is a Washington native who spends his off-season teaching elementary school in Pacific Beach, and his summers teaching NextGen students how to embrace the wild places of his home state with confidence. Skyler, aka “Geoduck,” has a special talent for creating…
Words from the Woods: summer harvest
NextGen Outdoor Camp is beyond lucky to have Evergreen College grad Breanne Johnston interning with us this summer. Breanne aspires to teach middle-school history, and is using the summer to work closely with professional teachers Lauren Richardson and Skyler Schmidt to learn how to navigate our dynamic outdoor classroom, and to design curriculum that will…
Words from the Woods: a letter of thanks
NextGen Outdoor Camp students have the privilege of meeting with some phenomenal mentors this summer. These individuals have given of their time and resources to create impactful experiences for NextGen students that reflect GPC’s mission: to get students outside and provide them with the recreational and educational opportunities that will allow them to appreciate their…
Words from the Woods: for the next generation
Outside the Suquamish House of Awakened Culture, Denita Holmes sits on her knees gently sifting through strips of red cedar that rustle like paper as they settle on the lawn. She’s collected the cedar herself, and describes to the small group of NextGen Outdoor Camp students what that process entails. The tree must be at…